Colorado Springs vs Fayetteville
Cost of Living Comparison · 2026
Colorado Springs
Fayetteville
The Verdict
Fayetteville is 29.6% less expensive than Colorado Springs overall. A household earning $75,000 in Colorado Springs would need approximately $57,857 in Fayetteville to maintain the same standard of living.
Category-by-Category Breakdown
Index values · National average = 100 · Lower is more affordable
Salary Equivalence
A $75,000 salary in Colorado Springs has the same purchasing power as $57,857 in Fayetteville.
Conversely, $75,000 in Fayetteville equals $97,222 in Colorado Springs.
Living in Colorado Springs vs Fayetteville
Housing Costs
Colorado Springs's housing index of 115 is higher Fayetteville's 52, translating to median home prices of $380,000 vs $213,000. The $167,000 difference in home prices means roughly $10,860 per year in additional mortgage costs at current rates. Renters face a similar gap: $1,500/mo in Colorado Springs compared to $1,075/mo in Fayetteville, a monthly difference of $425.
Grocery & Food Costs
Grocery expenses index at 100 in Colorado Springs and 94 in Fayetteville. A household spending the national average of $475/month on groceries would pay approximately $475/month in Colorado Springs vs $447/month in Fayetteville. Fayetteville offers a meaningful advantage on everyday food costs, saving roughly $336/year.
Utility Expenses
Utility costs — electricity, gas, water, internet — index at 93 in Colorado Springs and 98 in Fayetteville. Monthly utility bills average approximately $372 in Colorado Springs vs $392 in Fayetteville. Utility costs are relatively comparable between these two cities.
Healthcare
Healthcare costs index at 104 in Colorado Springs and 106 in Fayetteville. This encompasses insurance premiums, doctor visit copays, dental care, and prescription costs. Healthcare costs are relatively similar between these two cities, though individual plan costs can still vary.
Income & Purchasing Power
Median household income is $64,712 in Colorado Springs and $49,800 in Fayetteville. After adjusting for local costs, purchasing-power-equivalent incomes are approximately $61,630 and $61,481 respectively. Colorado Springs residents enjoy stronger real purchasing power despite higher nominal wages.
Relocation Considerations
Under the standard 28% rule, a median-income household can allocate $1,510/month to housing in Colorado Springs vs $1,162/month in Fayetteville. In Colorado Springs, median rent of $1,500/mo fits within this budget. In Fayetteville, median rent of $1,075/mo remains manageable. The biggest category-level difference between these two cities is Housing, where the gap is 63 index points — focus your budget analysis there.
Frequently Asked Questions
Moving & Relocation Resources
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